Nursing Sister Melvina Ruth Gaw

Melvina Ruth Gaw was born at Granby, Quebec, on 16 April 1910. She trained at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto from 1928 to 1931 and became a registered nurse. Before the war she worked in special-duty nursing, at Anson General Hospital in Iroquois Falls, and as Supervisor of the Central Supply Service at the Hospital for Sick Children. She was commissioned as a Nursing Sister in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps on 9 March 1942 and initially served at Camp Borden Military Hospital. In May 1943 she joined No. 18 Canadian General Hospital and that July proceeded overseas. She served in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe, including France and Belgium, and her records credit 728 days of qualifying overseas service. In May 1945 she volunteered for possible service in the Pacific theatre. She returned to Canada in July 1945 and was struck off strength at Montreal South on 14 September at her own request, being placed on the Reserve of Active Officers. She transferred to the Supplementary Reserve in 1946 and remained associated with the Army reserve for many years. After the war she undertook McGill University training in supervision and teaching in schools of nursing and later became Director of Nursing at Belleville General Hospital. Ruth Gaw died at Westgate Lodge Nursing Home in Belleville, Ontario, on 5 September 1999.

1910-04-16 — Born.
1928 — Had reached partial senior matriculation; later appointment form also records Listowel High School through 1928.
1931-09 — Completed nurse training at the Hospital for Sick Children.
1942-03-09 — Commissioned/appointed as Nursing Sister and posted to Camp Borden Military Hospital.
1942-04-23 — Qualified as Nursing Sister.
1942-09-09 — Six months' service in RCAMC appointment recognized; pay/allowance of Lieutenant effective from this date.
1942-09-14 to 1942-09-27 — Granted leave of absence; money allowances in lieu of rations recorded.
1943-05-02 — Taken on strength of No. 18 Canadian General Hospital, reposted from Camp Borden Military Hospital; remained attached to Camp Borden.
1943-05-15 to 1943-05-16 — Granted special leave.
1943-05-31 — Ceased attachment to Camp Borden Military Hospital on return to No. 18 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-06-01 — Authorized subsistence allowance.
1943-07-01 to 1943-07-04 — Granted special leave and furlough; transport warrant and subsistence allowance authorized.
1943-07-10 — Proceeded on special duty from Cobourg; ceased drawing subsistence allowance.
1943-07-21 — Struck off strength Canadian Army in Canada on proceeding overseas and embarked from Canada.
1943-07-22 — Taken on strength Canadian Army Overseas on transfer.
1943-07-28 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom.
1943-07-29 — Reported for duty at Bramshott General Hospital.
1943-09-17 to 1943-09-23 — Granted seven days' privilege leave.
1943-09-30 — Attached to No. 2 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-10-22 to 1943-10-26 — Admitted to No. 2 Canadian General Hospital with acute tracheitis/upper respiratory infection; discharged to duty.
1943-11-08 — Ceased attachment to No. 2 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-11-09 — Attached to No. 8 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-11-22 — Sick; admitted to No. 18 Canadian General Hospital.
1943-12-12 to 1943-12-24 — Hospitalized with atypical pneumonia; discharged with one week light duty.
1944-01-13 to 1944-01-20 — Granted seven days' privilege leave.
1944-01-31 — Ceased attachment to No. 8 Canadian General Hospital.
1944-08-22 to 1944-08-30 — Granted seven days' privilege leave plus 48 hours, with money allowance.
1944-10-07 to 1944-11-11 — Hospitalized for coryza with headache and mild frontal sinus tenderness; returned to duty.
1944-11-07 — Recorded in a posting/attachment transaction involving No. 18 Canadian General Hospital.
1944-11-13 — Taken on strength in a post-hospital administrative transaction after discharge from hospital.
1944-11-25 to 1944-12-03 — Granted nine days' privilege leave.
1945-02-24 — Disembarked in France during transfer to Continental Europe.
1945-03-10 to 1945-03-18 — Granted nine days' privilege leave.
1945-04-09 — Struck off strength to 1 Canadian General Reinforcement Unit.
1945-04-16 to 1945-04-19 — Recorded in successive 1 C.G.R.U./X-4 list/R.C.A.M.C. and Canadian General Hospital attachment/posting transactions.
1945-05-12 — Signed a supplementary declaration volunteering for service in the Pacific theatre.
1945-06-18 — Taken on strength of 1 C.G.R.U. from a reception/repatriation depot and attached to 24 Canadian General Hospital.
1945-07-02 — Ceased attachment to 24 Canadian General Hospital and transferred from 1 C.G.R.U. to No. 1 Canadian Repatriation Depot.
1945-07-18 — Struck off strength Canadian Army Overseas / No. 1 Canadian Repatriation Depot for return to Canada; overseas qualifying service ended.
1945-07-19 — Taken on strength No. 4 District Depot from Canadian Army Overseas; reported 25 July.
1945-07-24 — Returned to Canada.
1945-07-27 to 1945-08-25 — Granted leave following return from overseas.
1945-08-25 — Struck off strength No. 4 District Depot to Longueuil Military Hospital.
1945-08-26 to 1945-09-13 — Attached for all purposes except pay to Montreal/Longueuil Military Hospital administrative establishment.
1945-09-14 — Taken on strength from Longueuil Military Hospital and struck off strength at own request; transferred to Reserve of Active Officers.
1946-06-27 — Transferred to the Canadian Army Supplementary Reserve effective this date.
1955-04-10 — Allotted Supplementary Reserve service number TD 51681.
1961-06-22 — Supplementary Reserve record transferred to Quebec Command after change of residence; address recorded as Huntingdon.
1962-08 — Supplementary Reserve record transferred after change of residence; address recorded as 257 North River Road.
1963-05-06 — Supplementary Reserve record transferred after change of residence; address recorded as 3560 Yonge Street.
1967-12-31 — An earlier Reserve Force change-of-status form records release under QR&O 15.01 5(a) effective this date.
1969-01-23 — Ontario Region Personnel Order No. 7 records release under 5(a) and placement on the Retired List effective this date.
1999-09-05 — Died at Westgate Lodge Nursing Home.